A power management device 101 is used to translate the voltage level and current type supplied by a power source 103 to the voltage level and current-type rated for an electrical appliance or electronic device 105 as shown in FIG. 1. The available power source 103 can comprise an alternating current (AC) source or a direct current (DC) source. Alternatively, the electrical appliance or electronic device 105 may also be rated to function under an AC or DC voltage. Conductive means 107 is used to maintain electrical communication between the power management device 101, the power source 103 and the electrical appliance 105. A power management device 101 that translates AC power from the supplied voltage and current level to a different desired AC voltage and current level functions as a transformer device. When said power management device 101 translates AC power from the supplied voltage and current level to a desirable DC voltage and current it operates as an AC-to-DC converter. When said power management device 101 translates a non-optimal DC electrical power supply to DC voltage and current levels rated for the electrical appliance, it operates as a DC-to-DC converter. When the power management device 101 translates a DC electrical power supply to an AC current, it operates as a power inverter. Methods and articles that improve component integration, device miniaturization and performance tolerances of power management devices over current means are beneficial to the development of smaller form factor, lighter weight, and lower cost fixed or mobile platform electrical appliance. All of these power management devices will consist of at least one inductor component, which typically has larger size than any other electrical component used in the assembly of the power management device 101. Therefore, means that reduce the footprint (size) or improve performance tolerances of the inductor component, or facilitate component integration address a significant need of power management devices.
The basic layout of a transformer circuit is shown in FIG. 2. A transformer circuit 109 will consist of an inductor core 111 in which a magnetic current is generated by a primary coil winding 113. One or more secondary coil windings 115, 117 that are also wrapped around the inductor core 111 generate electrical currents in response to the magnetic current running through it. As is well known to practitioners skilled in the art, the voltage VS generated in the secondary coil windings 115, 117 is proportional to the voltage VP applied to the primary coil through the ratio of the number of turns in the primary winding NP and the secondary coil(s) NS through:i. VP/VS=NP/NS.  (1)
The basic circuit layout of an inverter circuit is shown in FIG. 3. An inverter circuit 119 will consist of a DC power supply (battery, fuel cell, solar cell, etc.) 121, at least two transistor switches 123A, 123B, input coils 125A, 125B, 1250 that are coupled to an output coil 127 through an inductor core 129. Inverter circuits may optionally include rectifying diodes 131A, 131B. Inverter circuits and transformer circuits may also include additional resistors and capacitors (not shown in FIGS. 2 and 3) used as filtering components.
DC-to-DC converter circuits use four primary building block circuits, alternatively known to practitioners skilled in the art as pumps, to derive their operational characteristics. The four pump circuit classifications are Fundamental pumps, Developed pumps, Transformer pumps, and Super-lift pumps. Fundamental pumps are sub-categorized as Buck pumps, Boost pumps, and Buck-Boost pumps. FIG. 4A depicts the circuit layout of a Buck-Boost pump 133. The Fundamental pumps will consist of a transistor or electromechanical switch 135, a rectifying diode 137, a resistor 139 and an inductor 141. Developed pumps are sub-categorized as Positive Luo pumps, Negative Luo pumps, or Cúk pumps. FIG. 4B depicts the circuit layout of a negative Luo pump. Developed pumps will comprise a transistor or electromechanical switch 143, a rectifying diode 145, a capacitor 147, an inductor 149, and a resistor 151. Transformer pumps are sub-categorized as Forward pumps, Fly-Back pumps, and Zeta pumps. FIG. 4C depicts the circuit layout of a Fly-back pump. Transformer pumps will comprise a transistor or electromechanical switch 153, a transformer 155, one or more rectifying diodes 157, a capacitor 159 and a resistor 161. Super-lift pumps are sub-categorized as Positive Super Luo pumps, Negative Super Luo pumps, Positive Push-Pull pumps, Negative Push-Pull pumps, and Double/Enhanced Circuit (DEC) pumps. FIG. 4D depicts the circuit layout of a Positive Super Luo pump. Super-lift pumps will comprise a transistor or electromechanical switch 163, at least two rectifying diodes 165A, 165B, at least two capacitors 167A, 167B, a resistor 169, and an inductor 171. These building block circuits are then assembled to form DC-to-DC converter circuits meeting specific operational design characteristics. A more comprehensive description of DC-to-DC converter circuits is contained in F. L. Luo and H. Ye, “Essential DC/DC Converters”, CRC Press, Taylor and Francis Group, Boca Raton, Fla. 2006, which is incorporated herein by way of reference.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,027,826 to de Rochemont, et al., disclose articles and methods to form oxide ceramic on metal substrates to form laminate, filament and wire metal-ceramic composite structures using metalorganic (molecular) precursor solutions and liquid aerosol spray techniques. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,323,549 and 6,742,249 to de Rochemont, et at, disclose articles that comprise, and methods to construct, an interconnect structure that electrically contacts a semiconductor chip to a larger system using at least one discrete wire that is embedded in silica ceramic, as well as methods to embed passive components within said interconnect structure using metalorganic (molecular) precursor solutions and liquid aerosol spray techniques. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,707,715 and 6,143,432 to de Rochemont, et al., disclose articles and methods to relieve thermally-induced mechanical stress in metal-ceramic circuit boards and metal-ceramic and ceramic-ceramic composite structures prepared from a solution of metalorganic (molecular) precursors, and further discloses the incorporation of secondary phase particles (powders) in said solution of said solution of metalorganic (molecular) precursors. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/243,422 discloses articles and methods to impart frequency selectivity and thermal stability to a miniaturized antenna element, and the construction of simplified RF front-end architectures in a single ceramic module. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/479,159 discloses articles and methods to embed passive components (resistors, capacitors, and inductors) having stable performance tolerances over standard operating temperatures within a solid state circuit. This application further discloses a solenoid inductor comprising a core of high permeability ferromagnetic ceramic surrounded by an electrically conducting coil, and methods to make same. The contents of each of these references are incorporated herein by reference as if laid out in their entirety.